Atomic Frontier Days

"An outstanding contribution to our knowledge of the Atomic West and its role in the nation's history. Equally important, the authors provide an important corrective to recent historical accounts of the topic." -- George E. Webb * Pacific Northwest Quarterly * "Their coauthored work effectively blends the history of the nuclear complex with the histories of environmentalism, community identity, regionalism, and politics . . . Atomic Frontier Days pushes the boundaries of atomic bomb history into new, exciting directions." -- Jason Krupar * Technology and Culture * "Atomic Frontier Days goes beyond simplistic narratives of a triumph or tragedy. . . . Unlike many histories of the American nuclear weapons programs, which tend to focus on the secret and isolated nature of the enterprise, this book situates Hanford firmly in a regional, political, social, and economic context." -- Andrew Jenks * Southern California Quarterly * "The book is richly informed by primary sources. It may well be the definitive treatment of Hanford and its ongoing controversies." -- Michael L. Johnson * Journal of American History * "[Findlay and Hevly] chronicle the legacy of the atom and how the citizens of this unique region coped with war, economic and ecological challenges, and dependence on federal largesse and corporate power." -- Robin Lindley * Pacific Northwest Inlander * "The account is well organized and written, and the scholarship is superb and well documented. . . . An excellent resource for those interested in or studying the influence of technology on urban communities. Summing Up: Highly recommended." * Choice * "It's an informative, detailed view of the complicated forces that created and shaped Hanford, and how that is not entirely atypical of how the West was won and sometimes lost." -- Knute Berger * Crosscut * "It lays out the roller-coaster of boom and bust cycles as Hanford struggled to stay relevant and the community attempted to maintain a solid economic footinga process that continues today . . ." -- Annette Cary * Tri-City Herald *

John M. Findlay is professor of history at the University of Washington. His focus is social and urban history. Bruce Hevly is associate professor of history at the University of Washington. His focus is history of science and technology.

One Plutonium, Production, and Pollution Hanford's Career as Federal Enclave Two The Atomic City of the West Richland and the Tri-Cities Three The Politics of Hanford Warfare and Welfare Four Hanford and the Columbia River Basin Economy and Ecology Epilogue Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 Note on Sources Abbreviations Used in Notes Notes Bibliographic Essay Index